


Noct: Legend of the Gobbos

by yeaka



Series: The Chocobro Show [10]
Category: Croc (Video Games), Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21815398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Regis plays one of Noctis’ favourites.
Series: The Chocobro Show [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538524
Comments: 12
Kudos: 38





	Noct: Legend of the Gobbos

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Once he gets the hang of the controls, the game is actually relatively easy. There aren’t many monsters, and the ones that do pop up are just as big-eyed and non-menacing as the protagonists, even those that rise out of the lava to spit fire at him. Properly clearing the lava with his jumps and not remaining on breaking platforms are his primary struggles. The floating crystals that serve as health aren’t particularly difficult to come by, and Regis finds himself going out of his way to collect them wherever he can. He’s also quite pleased with himself when he discovers a secret extra-life area. He does his best to find all the coloured crystals in order to unlock the bonus at the end of every level, because he’s truly doing his best to rescue _all_ the gobbos. They’re much too adorable to leave in the hands of the cruel antagonist, even if they are only badly put together polygons. 

He also enjoys the lively, catchy music. He finds his crocodile avatar rather likeable. He generally likes the themed level design. The opening cutscene was quite endearing. But most importantly, the game seems relatively _wholesome_ —a far cry better than the incredibly violent, hyper-realistic war games that Clarus is always complaining about Gladiolus playing. Regis is glad Noctis seems to be playing cheerful platformers rather than glorified slaughter. 

Noctis chimes in next to him, “You seem like you’re having fun, dad.”

“I am,” Regis admits. The game is one player, but they’ve been trading off the keyboard controls every death and level switch. Noctis’ turns never last long, and Regis has the sneaking suspicion that Noctis is being careless on purpose to maximize Regis’ play time. As much as it pains him for his own son to go easy on him, he chalks it up to Noctis wanting him to enjoy the session, and that truly touches his heart. He doesn’t know why he didn’t suggest they play video games together earlier. It feels like the first time they’ve really _bonded_ since Noctis was a child.

He might’ve preferred if that bond grew over a walk in the Citadel’s gardens or over a good book in the study, but he’ll take an extra chair pulled up to Noctis’ desk in his new apartment. Noctis hums, “Yeah, it’s a really great game. You’re liking it, right?”

Regis lifts a brow but doesn’t turn his head, because he’s bouncing on a jelly and can’t afford to leap off in the wrong direction. “Yes, I am.” And he already said that. 

“This is totally one of my favourite games. Turns out Prompto played it too when he was a kid. Guess a lot of people really loved it, y’know?”

“I’m glad you can still find joy in it.”

“Yeah...” Then Noctis lets out a long sigh and adds, “It’s just... it’s too bad we have to play it on this super old computer, y’know?”

Regis hums his agreement but says no more, because he’s concentrating on not falling into the abyss below him. He did realize, when Noctis first booted up the game, that they were playing on absolutely ancient device. He was sure Noctis had upgraded since. Even he’s upgraded, and he’s constantly having to call Ignis to explain modern technology to him. 

Noctis sighs again. “It’s really sad. ...If only somebody rich and powerful would buy the old rights to it and port it to a proper console...”

Having landed on a small chunk of grass free of any enemies, Regis can afford to pause and turn sideways. Noctis smiles a big, toothy grin that clearly means he wants something. 

Straightening up, Regis bluntly tells him, “Noct, we are not spending the royal treasury on porting your childhood games.”

Noctis immediately splutters, “But, dad—! This game’s a _classic_! It’s _art_! It’d be a crime to let it die!”

“It’s a fun game,” Regis agrees, which is really all there is to say about it.

“That younger kids won’t get to play because we let it die with old tech!”

Regis reaches out to clamp a hand over his son’s shoulder and tries to explain, “Noct. Everything dies eventually.”

“But not Croc!”

“Even Croc.”

“Dad, we could totally update it though—hell, we don’t even have to, the old graphics are fine, we just have to get the _rights_ and—”

It’s Regis turn to sigh. As much as he would desperately like to finish the level he’s on, he recognizes it’s getting late, and Noctis has brought up a valid point; there’s no sense falling in love with something that will soon fade out in the sands of time. Regis pushes his chair back and rises. 

“I think it’s time I headed home. But this was fun, Noct. I think we should do it again sometime.”

Noctis glares up at Regis as though _he’s_ the one that imprisoned the gobbos.

He pats Noctis’ shoulder again and fetches his cape, forcing himself to head out without thinking of all the old Magnavox Odyssey games from his early days that could so easily be brought back to life.


End file.
